Ozarks First Digital Desk: SPS success with inaugural outdoor volleyball match

SPRINGFIELD–Thursday, October 2, 2025 will forever be a historic day for Springfield Public Schools. It was the first time in the history of Springfield high school sports, a regular season volleyball match was played OUTDOORS.

LONG TIME rivals, Central and Parkview, played the inaugural match at Harrison Stadium in front of hundreds of fans. Central won the contest in three sets for a clean sweep of their arch nemesis. However, the final result was almost an afterthought in the wake of the momentus event, since something like this had never happened before in the Queen City.

The inspiration for this came from the 2023 outdoor volleyball match hosted at Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium. More than 92,000 people packed the stadium to witness the first-of-its-kind event, and, since then, these types of matches have taken place in Ohio, New York, and Georgia.

SPS Athletic Director Josh Scott, the mastermind behind the spectacle, brought up the idea to both schools, and after they agreed to the outdoor setting, the rest is history. Scott did note how lucky they got with the picture perfect weather. The beautiful setting also added to the excitement of the homecoming court being announced before the contest.

This event was so refreshing to fans, players, coaches, and sports media. Instead of just going through the motions of the season and letting everything play out, as usual, Scott and company took a leap of faith to try something different and new. And it paid off, handsomely.

Scott didn’t commit to this becoming an annual tradition, but with the inaugural competition going off without a hitch, there’s a good chance it will be considered in the future. As it should be.

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